Study aid for learning of Communications Acoustics VIHIM 000 Directional hearing Study aid for learning of Communications Acoustics VIHIM 000 Prof. Fülöp Augusztinovicz BME Dept. of Networked Systems and Services fulop@hit.bme.hu

Basics of the directional hearing Two differences: inter-aural time difference, ITD inter-aural intensity difference, ILD Implication: Distinct transmissions from source to left & right ears Ratio of the two FRFs: HRTF (Head Related Transfer Function)

Basics of directional hearing Geometry of directive hearing frontal plane sagittal plane horizontal plane

Directional hearing Operating mechanisms for various frequencies: For low frequencies the relative intensity differences are not relevant (due to the diffraction effect) For high frequencies the phase differences are not relevant/useful, if the travel time delays are in the order or magnitude of the wavelength, or higher Therefore For low frequencies it is ITD while for high frequencies it is ILD which is more appropriate Unfortunately, according to newer experiments the problem is not so simple

HRTF Source at -60°, transfer function to the two ears right ear left ear

Problems with application of HRTFs The „world” rotates together with the headset/user Solution: head tracker

Ensuring directional hearing: binaural recording/playback

Artificial head For sound recordings and high-fidelity measurements (primarily in NVH)

Directional hearing aids Előadás címe © Előadó Neve BME Hálózati Rendszerek és Szolgáltatások Tanszék

A short history of stereo sound recording 1877 First recording by Thomas A. Edison, Mary Had A Little Lamb. 1888 The Gramophone, invention of Emile Berliner, American inventor: the flat record 1898 Invention of the magnetic sound recording (Valdemar Poulsen, Denmark) 1931 Stereo record (inventor Alan D. Blumlein, US) 1933 Bell Labs realizes the first stereo concert broadcast on a telephone line from Philadelphia to Washington 1940 Walt Disney first uses stereo sound for his movie Fantasia c. 1954 The stereo tape recorder is commercialized for home users 1958 Stereo LP record by using V-cut 1961 Outset or stereo radio broadcast 1969 Outset of the quadrophone (4-ch) radio broadcast 1970 Record industry changes entirely to stereo technology

© Előadó Neve BME Hálózati Rendszerek és Szolgáltatások Tanszék Some early recorders http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonograph_cylinder Előadás címe © Előadó Neve BME Hálózati Rendszerek és Szolgáltatások Tanszék

Mono Sztereo

Stereo microphone techniques Coincident method Distinction is given by differing directional characteristics of mics Nearly coincident method Distinction is given both by differing directional characteristics of mics and phase deviations Faraway configuration Mics record nearly independent signals

Directivity patterns of microphones supercardioid omnidirectional cardioid bidirectional (eighter) highly directional (mic gun)

Stereo microphone techniques XY microphones (intensity stereophony)

Stereo microphone techniques M-S (mid – side) microphone

Stereo microphone techniques Nearly coincident: the Jecklin.disc

Stereo microphone techniques A-B microphone configuration

Highly directive microphones